Kyari, Monguno and self-appointed anarchists 


It was yet another day for intolerable calumny of dazed traducers of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, who were brought up on a diet of political propaganda and have sworn to perpetually feed Nigerians with same. After serially failing in the past to perfect their clandestine attempts to smear, scandalise and blackmail the hard-earned image of the presidential crack team, they have resorted to hallucination of the existence of cracks in the president’s kitchen cabinet.

In their latest antic, this army of self-appointed anarchists found a veritable platform in Premium Times, an online newspaper, to publish a fabricated story, purporting a crack in the presidential team. The said report claimed that a letter
dated December 9, 2019, from the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), urged the service chiefs to disregard orders from the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the president, Malam Abba Kyari. The report quoted the letter as saying Kyari’s interference is negatively affecting the war against insurgency.

This claim is preposterous, spurious, callous and a tissue of lies. Why and how on earth would the president’s chief of staff be accused of frustrating the fight against insurgency that is killing his own people in Borno state? The online medium stood journalism ethics on its head in the manner it presented the report. The story is a case of the voice of Jacob, but the hand of Esau. This is a sponsored story premeditated at rubbishing the working relationship among the president’s kitchen cabinet.

Come to think of it, how connected are the duties of the office of the
chief of staff and that of the national security adviser? The chief of staff is someone who works behind the scenes to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they are brought to the president. Often, chiefs of staff act as confidants and advisers to presidents, acting as a sounding board for ideas.

On the other hand, the office of the national security adviser is the coordinating room between the office of the president and all security related-matters in the country. These include all the military formations, purchase of all military hardware, security and safety of Nigerians both within and outside the shores of the country, curtailing smuggling within the country’s borders. How are these two offices related in functions and duties to warrant conflict?

President Buhari and his team have refused to be distracted by the onslaught of unpatriotic and thoroughly corrupt elements, who survive on crises. President Buhari’s team is intact and working tirelessly on achieving the enthronement of peace and prosperity among Nigerians for all to feel the impact of government, as against the wishes of criminals, manipulating and sponsoring the media space against the president and his men.

These mischief makers claimed most of the directives or memos purportedly emanating from the president have no presidential blessing. Are they trying to convince us that President Buhari will fold his hands and allow his appointees to run his government for him? This is laughable. The latest tactics had also fallen like packs of cards as the ones before it. One distinguishing factor working in favour of the Buhari administration is clear conscience and purity of motives. That is why it has continued to enjoy massive support from the people.

For the umpteenth time, it is important to drum the fact that no amount of campaign of calumny will sow seed of discord among the president’s crack team. President Buhari’s unfathomable moral authority is all that is needed to earn the respect of his team and the admiration of Nigerians; that has been proven. Never in recent history of Nigeria has any government or president assembled a crop of technocrats and men of character to pursue national development. I think the grouse of these characters is that they are broke and need more slush funds to service their ostentatious lifestyle.

How long shall we continue to travel this road? In advanced societies men make valuable contributions to nation-building by the value of advice they share with government or the constructive criticisms they offer. Alas! In Nigeria, those who should ordinarily be seen as gatekeepers of moral rectitude descend so low as to blackmail government to coerce it to call them to the negotiating table. That time is gone. No amount of campaign of calumny, intimidation or abuse will dissuade President Buhari and his crack team from executing their best intention for Nigeria.

Again, there is no crack between President Buhari’s chief of staff, Abba Kyari, and the national security adviser, Maj.-Gen. Muhammed Babagana Monguno. The roles and duties of their offices are different. The duo and other members of the presidential staff are working as one to deliver on the campaign promises of President Buhari.

The eminence of the press as the fourth estate of the realm speaks even more eloquently to its relevance to moderating the political debates of the day and its role in good governance advocacy that will empower the citizens. However, this critical role of the press will be defeated, when it makes itself a willing tool in the chess pool of corrupt and divisive machinations.


Ibrahim is the director, communication and strategic planning, PSC

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